“Mount Liminal” is an ongoing series through the Alpine region, where local rituals and traditions are practiced, such as winter banishments and harvest festivals. These events often symbolize various aspects of seasonal change and the duality between good and evil, often embodied by different figures. For some, these moments are a temporary gateway from ordinary life or acts of imagination. These traditions are kept alive during ever changing environments, but not without challenges.

A key motivation for the project is to create awareness of how rituals sustain a deep connection with the surrounding natural environment. Rooted in seasonal cycles, these practices attune communities to the rhythms of weather, day/night, seasons, and renewal. Rather than positioning humans as separate from nature, they emphasize interdependence.

Mostly, these traditions offer an immersive experience for the entire community, with transformation through masks and costumes. Participants enter a liminal state: an in-between space where everyday identities dissolve. "Mount Liminal" focusses on the ones behind these disguises, primarily those of younger generations, who keep the traditions alive. At the age of eighteen, they are allowed to take part, when rituals have been passed on from (grand)parents. A key motivation is honoring older generations, to connect with ancestral lineages. In this way, traditions have been passed down from generation to generation for centuries.

The photo project is a meditative exploration of tradition, transformation, and identity in the Alpine region. The mountains serve as a gateway to another world, made visible through the camera.

The word “liminal” is derived from the Latin “limina”, meaning “on the threshold.” It refers to a transitional state: a phase between two stages of being. Such a liminal condition arises, for example, when someone dons a mask and, through costume, transforms into another being. In this guise, one is believed to have the power to ward off evil spirits. Seasonal changes, when many of these traditions take place, are also typical liminal moments. “Mount” refers on one hand to the geographic setting of the Alps, but also symbolizes the mountain as a spiritual entity: a place between good and evil, light and dark, life and death.